Catalytic converter



May 15,1945. J. 5. PECKE R 2,376,271

CATALYTIC CONVERTER Filed Nov. 12, 1943 i Patented May l', 1945'- UNITED {STATE-S PATENT OFFICE 1 r 1 oA'rALmc coma-real Joseph s. Bracken-Philadelphia, 2 minor to Machine & Tool Designing Co., Philadelphia, 7 Pa, a corporation or Pennsylvania Application ovembe 12, 1942, Serial no. 465,395 ,8 Claims. (or 23-288l i This invention relates to fluid converters, and I in particular to the provision of a new and im-.

proved fluid converter embodying extreme compactness and efliciency in operation and which;

in addition, is provided with new and improved means for containing catalyst material, for con; veniently loading the converter with catalyst ma terial, and .for ejecting spent or impaired catalyst material from the converter.

Formerljrfin converters of this general 'type wherein fluid is subjected tochemical reactiontained in the converter and, also, to securethe ultimate and desirable intimacy of contact between the heated catalyst and incoming reaction ficulty to replace this materialsince it was ne'cin the "presence of a catalyst, especially with ap-' V plication of heat, great diificulty was encountered in securing eflicient,-.uniform heating of the catalyst material as a whole, and the necessary in-f timacy of contact between the reaction fluid and the catalyst. Likewise, in many cases, renewal of the catalyst material'necessitated substantial- It is the object of this inventiontotally to obvidisassembly of the converter at-great, cost of labor, time and'inconvenience.

a 'new and improved converter incorporating a heat transfer unit cooperating with the housingor casing of the converterto form a catalyst chamber for supporting catalyst material in such manner that it shall be uniformly and em.- 1'

' ciently heated; wherein the reaction fluidshall bebrought into uniform, intimate contact with- -,the heated catalyst material; and wherein the heat transfer unit is movable within the housing or casing to facilitate loading of the'catalys t chamber and-ejection of catalyst material there from;

These and other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from the following description taken in conjuction with the accompanying drawing which forms a part'thereof, and be pointed out in the appended claims. In the drawing:

Fig, 1 is a view lpartly in elevation and partly in section 01' a'fluid converter constructed according to this invention;

essai'y completely 'tortear down the converter, remove the spent caatalyst material, replace the spent catalyst material with new catalyst material andthen reassemble the converter.

Furthermore, by their nature, these prior converterswere of huge dimensions since the reaction fluid travelled ina generally straight path despite deflection by baflles sometimes placed in the reaction chambers.

All of the above disadvantages of prior art'con- 1 verters are obviated according to this invention byproviding a converter comprising generally a housing- (generally designated 4) with a heating jacket, a heat transfer member in the form of a hollow worm (generally designated -5) rotatably supported in the housing and forming therewith the spiral reaction chamber. An inlet port is .provided for insertion oi catalyst material into the reaction chamber, and an outlet port is also provided for the removal of catalyst material from the reaction chamber. In orderto recharge the reaction chamber with cat alyst material, it'is merely necessary to open the catalyst material outlet port, rotate the worm within the casing positively to eject the catalyst material therefrom, and then to insert new cat- I alyst material through the catalyst material in- Fig, -2 is a top plan view of the-structure shown in Fig. 1, a portion of the housing and'heat transfer unit being broken away in cle'amess; and

Fig? 3 is a view in elevation, at reduced scale,

or the heat transfer unit or element.

The converter of this invention is ofthe'g theinterest of renal typewherein fiuidis subjected to chemical-reaction in' the presence of a catalyst, with 'optionalapplication of heat. In previously known converters, it was diflicult to secureuniform temperature: throughout the mass of catalyst con-- mined temperature in conjunction with the heatoutlet for the same purpose.

let port into the reaction chamber while rotating the wormelement to distribute it properly therein. rue spiral heat chamber in the hollow .worm is.connected with a source of heat energy at one end and with a heat outlet at the other end whereby the temperature in thereaction chamber (formed between adjacent pitches of the worm) is maintained at a constant, predetering function of the heating jacket of the housins, which heating jacket is likewise connected to a source of heat energy and provided with aheat Referring to the drawing in detail ,the housing 4 comprises an annular inner wall In and similar, spaced outerwall' ll, maintained in prede termined spaced relation by suitable spacing ele- At one side the top plate I1 is provided with the upright catalyst material inlet port I9, having a suitable detachable closure 20. In substantial alignment with this inlet port |9 is a catalyst outlet port 2| provided in the bottom plate M. This opening 2| is provided with a suitable detachable closure comprising, for instance, the fixed wall 22 and removable wall 23, which may be removed to connect the outlet port 2| with the atmosphere. The top plate I1 is also provided with a reaction fluid inlet 24 connected to a suitable source of reaction fluid and communicating with the upper end of the reaction chamber. The bottom plate |4is provided with the reaction fluid outlet 25 substantially aligned with the fluid inlet 24 and leading to any suitable collecting chamber or station. Optionally, a suitable filter or baiile 26 is provided between the lower end of the reaction chamber and the reaction fluid outlet, as shown in Fig. 1. y

A heat inlet 21 leads from any suitable source of heat energy through the outer annular wall into the lower end of the heating jacket of :the housing, and a heat outlet 28 leads through -the outer annularwall II from the upper end ;of. .the housing heating jacket to any suitable collecting station. V

The heattransfer member 5 includes a substantiallycylindrical wall 30 closed atits lower end by a circular'bottom plate 3| secured thereto in any suitable manner, as, for instance, by welding. This circular bottom plate 3| is provided with an aperture 32' which communicates with the heat outlet 33, which on let 33 may be connected to anysuitable heat e ergy collecting station. Also attacliyd to the circular bottom plate 3| isthe gear 3 which meshes with worm 35 driven by motor 36 to rotate the bottom plate 3|, wall 30 and attached parts. The-cylindrical tion of the interior ofithe chamber formed by the wall 30, wall 40 and bottom plate 3| to form the heat jacket generally designated 44.

About the cylindrical wall 30 are superposed, predeterminedly spaced, upper and lower spiral walls and 46 having their inner edges welded or otherwise fixedly secured to the cylindrical wall 30 and having their outer edgesjoined by the spiral wall 41, suitably rigidly secured thereto or formed integrally therewith. In the modifled form of Fig 3, two such convolutions are provided on, the worm to form spiral heating jackets at each side of the spiral reaction chambers defined by the spaces therebetween.

Leading from the heat inlet chamber 42 into the upper end of the spiral heating chamber 48, which is defined by'the wall 30, spiral walls 45 and 46 and outer wall 41, is an'inlet aperture by means of which .heat energy'passes from the heat inlet chamber 42 into the spiral heat exchange chamber 48 and thence throug this chamber to the outlet aperture 5|, which com-' municates with the lower end of the-heat jacket 44 of the heat exchange member, passing thence through" aperture 32 and heatoutlet 33.

The heat jacket 44 formed by the cylindrical wall 30 and closed cylindrical member 43 is heated also by heat energy passing from the heat inlet chamber 42 through apertures 52 into the 'space therebetweenn This heat energy passes downwardly to the lower end 'of chamber 44 and thence through aperture32 to the heat outlet 33.

wall 30 is supported in the casing for rotary motion by means of a thrust flange 31 welded er,

otherwise rigidly secured thereto and resting upon the lip of the central aperture provided in the bottom plate H! of the housing for its'accom- -modati'on.- Adjacent this lip is asuitable' fiuidtight glandi38. The upper end of the wall 30 passes through a similar aperture in the top plate ll of the ,housing and the lip of this aperture is provided with a fluid-tight gland 3 9 similar to'the above-described fluid-tight gland 38. 'A cup-shaped wall 40 is secured-jin predetermined "location adjacentthe upperend of the cylindrical wall 30, and the upper end of this.

cup-shaped wall 40 is closed byithe heat inlet I chamber top-plate 4| having a central aperture communicating with the heat-inlet 4-| a, which (heat inlet is connected to any suitable source of heatenergy. @The space the-top plate 4| forms'the heat inlet chamber 42 of the hea't exchange member. Depending i'rom the cup-shaped wall 40 is a close etwe'en; the cup-shaped'wall 40 and p w end cy1in4 I -drical member 43 which blocks of! themaln por- 75' 130,15. .46 and In, each Thus, heat energy is introduced into the housing heating jacket between-walls l0 and II through inlet 21, whence it passes through the jacket and out through heat outlet 28 to heat the annular outer wall portion of the housing. Heat; energy is also introduced through the heat inl 7 let 4|a into the heat inlet chamber 42, whence 4 it passes through the apertures 50 into the spiral heat exchange chambers 48'and thence through these chambers through the apertures 5| into the lower endof the heat exchange jacket 44. I Heat energy also passes from the heat inlet chamber 42 throughapertures 52 into the jacket 44, this heat energy heating the cylindrical wall 30'. The walls 45, 46 and 41 are heated by the heat energy passing through the spiral heat exchange cham- I bers 48, and the inner annular 'wall ll] of the housing is heated by the heat energy passing through, the housing heat jacket, Since the are formed by the walls spiral reaction chambers v wall-of these reaction chambers is efiectivelyheated and, bycontrollin'g the temperature within the jackets and heat exchange chambers, the temperature of the catalyst material in the reaction chambers may be likewise closely-controlled.

, As stated above, catalyst material is introduced through the inlet l8 and distributedeflectively and uniformly throughout the reaction chamor the hollow worm, spent-catabers by rotationlyst materialibeing removed by opening the aperture 2| and rotating the worm for positively ejecting the spent catalyst material.

After the reaction chambers-have been charged with catalyst material, heat energy is introduced .into. the heat inlet'chamber 42 and the housing I I jacket to bring this catalyst material to the'desired temperature," at which temperature it is maintained so long as is desired, Thereafter, reaction fluid is introduced through the reaction fluidinlet24 into the upper ends of the spiral reaction; chambers through which it passes inspiral paths to the lower ends, passing, thence let 25 toa suitable collection station.

- During this time the motor 38 is de-.-energized and thehollow worm heat exchange member is stationary. The heat inlet which leadsto the heat inlet chamber 4 2 is connected to a suitable source of heat energy, and the heat outlet 33 is connected to a suitable heat energy collecting station while the converter is thus in operation. Whenever it is desired to recharge the reaction chambers, as pointed out above, these connections are broken in order that the hollow worm heat exchange member may rotate as a unit during recharging of the reaction chambers. After the recharging operation has been completed; these connections are again made, to place the converter'in operative condition. i

While converters constructed according-to my invention are suitable for use in the accomplishment of various processes wherein a reaction is secured by subjecting a reaction, fluid at desired.

temperature and pressureto a'given catalyst material at predetermined temperature for a predetermined time, it is particularly suitable for the production of butadiene from ethyl alcohol in-, troduced at substantially catalyst temperature and at a desired pressure to any suitable catalyst, the ethyl alcohol breaking down into butadiene, water vapor and hydrogen.

While no pressureregulating means has been shown in connection with this disclosure, it is,

of course, to be understood that any suitable, a known means may be used for this purpose. From the above description it'will clearly appear that the heat exchange member 5 cooperates with the converter housing 4 to form a plurality of spiral reaction chambers for containing catalyst material in spiral layers of uniform thickness and of length many timesgthe major dimension of the housing. Since the reaction fluid is guided lengthwise of this spiral layer from end to end, ultimate intimacy of contact between the heatingjackets functionwiththe jacket 44 andthe housing heat jacket (between walls It) and II) effectively and emciently to heat each wall of the reaction chambers and the catalyst material contained therein. I

Furthermore, during recharging of the converter the rotatableheat exchange member functions as a screw feed, positively to eject spent catalyst material from the converter and/or to distribute newly introduced catalystmaterial uniformly throughout the spiral reaction chambers fully to fill them and to form therein masses of cylindrical chamber therein, a heat transfer elemember supported therein and cooperating with said housing to form a spiral catalyst material containing reaction chamber, means for applying a heat transfer medium for circulation through said hollow worm member, the pitch of said worm member being reduced to a minimum and the blades being spaceda minimum distance from each other whereby a minimum distance results between adjacent blades ofthe worm member,

and means for rotating said worm member.-

2.' In a catalytic converter, a housing, means forming a heat transfer member comprising a hollow worm structure rotatably supported in saidhousing and cooperating with said housing to form a spiral catalyst material containing-reaction chamber, and means for rotating said heat transfer member with respect to sai-d'housing for positively ejecting catalyst material from said reaction chamber-andfeeding and uniformly distributing replacement catalyst material in said reaction chamber, the pitch of said hollow worm member beingreduced to 'a minimum and the blades being spaced a minimum distance from each other whereby a minimum distance results between adjacent blades of the worm member.

3. In a catalytic converter, a housing having a ment in said chamber comprising a hollow worm member forming with said cylindrical chamber a spiral catalyst material containing reaction chamber, said hollow worm member being rotatable in said chamber for feeding and distributing catalyst material in said reaction chamber, and

means for supplying a heat transfer medium to the interior of said hollow worm member for heating the catalyst.materia1 in said reaction chamber, the pitch of said worm memberbein reduced to a minimum and the blades bein terior of said hollow worm member for heating.

spaced a minimum distance from each other whereby a minimum distance results between ad- .iacent blades of the worm member. 7 I

4. In a catalytic converter, a housing having a cllindrical chamber therein, a heat transfer element in said chamber comprising a hollow worm member forming with said cylindrical chamber aspiral catalyst material, containing reaction a chamber connected with a source of reaction fluid, said hollow'worm member being rotatable in said chamber for feeding and distributing catalyst material in said reaction chamber, means for supplying a heat transfer medium to the inthe catalyst material in saidreaction chamber, and means for intermittently rotating said hol- 7, low worm member with respect to said housing for ejecting spent catalyst material 'fromsaid reaction chamber and distributing replacement;

, catalyst material therein, the pitch. of said worm catalyst material of uniform density throughout, I

thus effectively preventing blocking or clogging of the reaction chambers and consequent obstrucwithin the scope of the appended claims.

Having thus fully described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a catalytic converter, a housing and a member being reduced to a minimumand th'e blades being spaced a minimum distance from 'heat transfer member comprising a hollow worm each other whereby aminimum distance results between adjacent blades of the worm member.

5. In a catalytic converter, a housingand a v heat transfer member comprising a multiple hol low worm member supported therein and co operating with said housing toform a plurality of spiral catalyst material containingr eaction chambers, means for rotating said hollow worm member, and means for supplying a heat trans- .ferring medium for circulation within said worm.

mum and the blades being spaced 9. minimum distance from each other whereby a minimum distance results between adjacent blades of said hollow worm members. a 6. In a catalyticconverter, ahousing havingfi cylindricalchamber therein, a heating jacket sur rounding said cylindrical chamber, a heat transa catalyst material in said reaction chamber and fer element in said chamber comprising a worm member forming with said cylindrical chamber a spiral catalyst material containing reaction chamber, said worm member having a hollow central portion andheat Jacket means within said hollow central porflon of said worm member cooperating with said first-named heat jacket in saidchamber. comprising a-hollow worm member forming with said cylindrical chamber at least one spiral catalyst material containing reaction chamber, said hollow worm memberha'ving a' hollow central portion and a heat jacket within said hollow chamber therein, a heatjacket surrounding saidchamber, a' heat transfer element in said cham-= said reaction chamber being connected at op'-.

posi'te ends with-a source of reaction fluid and a reactionproducts collecting station, the pitch of said worm member being reduced to a minimum and the blades being spaced av minimum distance from each'other whereby-a distance results between adjacent blades of the worm member. I 8. In a catalytic converter, a housing having a 6,271.' member and said heat jackets for heating the ber comprising a hollow worm forming with said cylindrical chamber a pluralityof spiral catalyst material containing reactionchambers', opposite ends of said'reaction chambers being connected with a source-of reaction fluid and a reaction products collection station, means for-supplying l a heat "transferring,- medium to said heat jacket" and said heat transferring unit to heat the catalyst material in said reaction chambers,

' means for intermittently rotating said hollow central portion, meanstor supplyinga heat transfer medium to'said/worm worm. with respect tosaid' housing for ejecting spent catalyst material from said reaction chamterial therein.

"bers" and distributing replacement catalyst ma JosErrr sl'rncxnn'f 

